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South Okanagan Photos

Throne Speech

portrait-guichonThrone Speech read by Honourable Judith Guichon

The BC Government will establish a B.C. Prosperity Fund to invest natural gas revenues that will focus on issues such as paying down the debt.

The fund is expected to generate somewhere between $130 billion and $260 billion from liquid natural gas revenues and a new liquid natural gas tax over the next 30 years.

The government will also create a new organization to promote Vancouver as a “hub for Asian and South Asian corporate offices and investment.”

The government is promising to take unspecified measures to help small business owners that will “help keep B.C. as the most small-business friendly jurisdiction in Canada.”

Legislation will be introduced to create a new seniors advocate position and plans will be laid out to help stem elder abuse. This action stems from last year’s provincial ombudsperson’s report which cited the need for such an advocate.

The throne speech promises  measures to improve access to early childhood services and access to affordable child care, and measures to help families save for post-secondary education.

Other promises include unspecified improvements to rural health care and a proposal to develop a school of traditional Chinese medicine at a B.C. post-secondary institution.